Magpul PTS AEG – Part Two – Outside Context

NOTE: This review is split into two parts. This is part two; the review of the gun out in play and my commentary on its real world performance.

Aliens review the Magpul PTS AEG in the field

“Game over man, game over!”

Gorman: Morning, Marines. I’m sorry we didn’t have time to brief you people before we left Gateway, but…

Hudson: Sir?

Gorman: What is it, Hicks?

Hudson: Hudson, sir.

[points]

Hudson: He’s Hicks.

Gorman: Basho, please tell us about the new equipment…

Basho: “Ok men here it comes, most people don’t review guns in two parts. No, they instead setup a target, perhaps in their home, shoot a few times at it and give you the benefit of that wisdom.

What there is of it.

I too have written ones like this, but then I stopped. When I reviewed the TM Desert Eagle Hard Kick I noted its lack of long range accuracy, its mighty jump in the hand that ruined your second shot aim, the lacklustre gas performance in the mags. Then I went out and played with it and realised that I had forgotten the most important piece of information; the DE scares people. I have actually had people cower when I pull it out.

That is priceless information!”

Hudson: “So, is this gonna be a standup fight, sir, or another newb’hunt?”

Gorman: “All we know is that there’s still no contact with the colony, and that Team Beans may be involved.”

Frost: “Excuse me sir, Beans? What?”

Gorman: “Team Beans.”

Hicks: “It’s a newb’hunt.”

Basho: “So, this review is another gun, perhaps a real winner, and certainly flavour of the month, tested out where it belongs: in the field. Out in the mud and leaves where I can tell its hidden abilities.

The Ground Zero Weekender is not like many other airsoft games. Not only is it larger, now sporting over 1200 players, but its size actually has a strange effect on those who attend. They bring all their new toys to play with. People make an effort for Ground Zero, an effort they not often make for a muck about down any old woods. I saw people dressed as characters from Intel Adverts, whole teams in Vietnam load outs and more multicam clad warriors than at the last Delta Force BBQ.

For the Magpul PTS to score highly on the “Bling’ometer”, it would have to be very special indeed.”

Vasquez: “Look, man. I only need to know one thing: where they are.”

Drake: “Go, Vasquez. Kick ass.”

Vasquez: “Anytime, anywhere, man!”

Basho: “I sure hope you are right”

[Gorman scowls then, thanking Ripley with a nod, takes over the pred-op briefing.]

Gorman: “All right, we have Basho’s first report on the basic weapon on file. I suggest that you all read it. An addendum follows.”

MOTHER: OPSED-2501. FILE ACCESS GRANTED.

MOTHER: Displaying file: “Basho – MAGPUL PTS Addendum report”

Notes:

The first thing that hits you when you are trying to sling the Magpul PTS is that it is not heavy. Even with a battery and loaded P-Mag in, it still is lighter than many AEG’s. This is due to mainly to the size of the gun, the skeletonised stock and the light but strong plastic in the hand guards. I slung it to a Chalker “Tactical Bra” sling that hangs the gun directly on the bodies centre line. It was short enough that when I knelt it did not strike the mud, but of course if you are tiny then this may still happen to you.
I ran the PTS on both P-Mags and standard King-Arms mid caps. I personally had no problems at all with mags or feeding. The P-Mags do fit tightly in the well and can be a little more of a pain to change quickly, but with practice I was quick enough to fight strong.
I dragged the gun through mud, in puddles, in leaves. I crashed to the ground, dived and rolled, all sorts of stuff. The gun took it all. It is a tough little customer.
It drew only a few envious looks. To quote the late, great, Douglas Adams: The designer of the gun had clearly not been instructed to beat about the bush. “Make it evil,” he’d been told. “Make it totally clear that this gun has a right end and a wrong end. Make it totally clear to anyone standing at the wrong end that things are going badly for them. This is not a gun for hanging over the fireplace or sticking in the umbrella stand, it is a gun for going out and making people miserable with.”

[Deep in the woods, the Delta Alpha team get ready for battle]

Lex: All right, sweethearts, you’re a team and there’s nothin’ to worry about. We come here, and we gonna conquer, and we gonna kick some, is that understood? That’s what we gonna do, sweethearts, we are going to go and get some. All right, people, on the ready line! Are ya lean?

DAs: Yea!

Lex: Are ya mean?

DAs: Yea!

Lex: WHAT ARE YOU?

DAs: Lean and mean!

Lex: WHAT ARE YOU? Get on the ready line, DA’s, get some today! Get on the ready line! Move it out! Move it out, goddammit! Get hot! One, two, three, four! Get out, get out, get out! Move it out, move it out, move it out! Move it out, move it out, move it out! One, two, three, four, five, six, seven! Aaarrrrr, absolutely badassess! Let’s pack ’em in! Get in there!

[In battle the command-team watch over the personal camera and see a guns-eye view of the play]

Hudson: “There’s Beans all over the place! They’re coming out the f*cking walls man!”

Basho: “Now I could tell you about my play with this gun. I could wax lyrical about it and even perhaps manage to put something across about how it plays. But this cannot compare with seeing it for yourself yourself. So, I attached a camera to the weapon and recorded its play in the field. I have two files for you.”

MOTHER: OPSED-2502. FILE ACCESS GRANTED.

MOTHER: Displaying file selection. Please pick an option:

1. Band of Dark Angels. This file contains footage of the GZ event and lots of the gun in action at the end.

2. Magpul part two. This is the footage of play cut out from the above and lots of extra footage of the gun firing at various targets.

Not bad for a human!

As you can see from the footage, this is a great AEG and a definite buy if you get a chance. Let’s ask one last character from the film, what he thinks: